Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) play a pivotal role in advancing educational opportunities for Latino students in the United States. While the primary function of HSIs is to enroll Latino students, their true essence lies in their commitment to "servingness"—an intentional and holistic approach to supporting students' academic, personal, and cultural growth. This article explores how HSIs leverage academic advising as a strategic tool to embody servingness and intentionality. By fostering familial connections, promoting student learning and growth, and enhancing students' sense of belonging, advising at HSIs is tailored to meet the unique needs of Latino students. The discussion underscores the importance of culturally responsive advising practices and highlights the need for ongoing innovation and professional development to ensure that HSIs continue to lead in serving Latino students effectively.
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During the COVID pandemic academic advisors were forced to re-create their roles with students in virtual spaces, relying on technology (Zoom, Meet, etc.) to do so. While the immediate concern at the time was to shift from in-person advising (IPA) to remote academic advising (RAA), it was hard to imagine remote advising as something that could rival in-person appointments. Many advisors might say this is still the case, however, there may be one tool in particular - the zoom whiteboard - that can aid advisors in revisioning the virtual space to better equalize the IPA vs RAA playing field.
Quality advising plays an important role in supporting retention and graduation initiatives, but turnover among academic advisors is higher than for other university staff positions (Brantley & Shomaker, 2021; Elliott, 2020). Given high advisor turnover and the central role academic advisors play in supporting student success, there is a need to explore why advisors leave the profession and what institutions might do to retain them. Fifty-six former academic advisors completed a survey regarding the reasons they left the profession. The top two reasons advisors left the profession were low pay and a desire for a better work environment. Based on the survey results, the authors make recommendations to institutions on how to retain advisors.
